Reflection

Through this class, I have learned a lot about quantum computers and quantum in general. I also have known a fraction of the linear algebra that I will be learning on a more in-depth scale when I earn a higher degree. The class taken for this FCP was in the same learning format that I have been accustomed to. Online assignments and live lectures are done through Zoom. The labs seemed to be more of a mini class during the second semester. With this class being the first of its kind and the first time being ran, there are a good amount of ups and downs. Before going into this class, I knew that it was the first time running the course, and I was one of many guinea pigs to have it tested on. During the first semester, The teachers threw out a lot of math to the students. Bits and pieces of different subsections of math were studied. Only the math that was prevalent in calculating phases of qubits, gate applications, and results was investigated. This includes linear algebra and some calculus. I had not taken classes above algebra two, and only a basic understanding of trigonometric functions was needed to take part in the class. The math section seemed too fast during some topics, just right on others, and sometimes too slow. Some of the low points in the class were when the ideas of the unit circle, radians, and polar coordinates being discussed. I had not studied this, and I assume that it would be a part of algebra two in a traditional high school class. One of the high points in the class was dealing with large matrix multiplication and other operations. I had studied this a good amount through college math at Urbana University, so I was comfortable with this before the class started. It was time-consuming having to write out the larger matrices. One of the few things that The Coding School could improve the course would be for the labs in the second semester (applying all the math to quantum computing topics) being more of a practice of the issues discussed in the lecture. The first semester was this way, but the second semester seemed to teach more topics as an extension of the class. Currently, I will not be able to apply the knowledge of quantum computing to my life and am not interested in pursuing a career in it. Some of the math topics will be applicable in college when I get a different degree (bachelor's and/or master's). From there, then I would apply math to software engineering and code written in other languages.